Author Topic: Costa Concordia - wreck removal or salvage for repairs and relaunch ?...  (Read 67137 times)

Offline polsteam

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It would be interesting to learn Shipspotting forum Users' opinions on possible and feasible options for Costa Concordia technical and operational future...


There are specialists on the market (like Titan, Smit, Mammoet, etc.) that have done almost impossible things so far. So ALMOST nothing is impossible from technical point of view, but there is always a question of (cost) feasibility...
There were many spectacular ship "rising from the dead" cases, but this one (as far as salvaging for intended repair and operation is concerned) seems to be more complicated than any other in the history...

Now I learn from the news that divers will use explosives to cut through some bulkheads, to get to further compartments in search for bodies or trapped survivors.
Bulkheads damage will make it even more difficult to seal off compartments for pumping off the water facilitating raising the ship...

In the history many ships were brought back to life, even after capsizing, sinking, etc.

But "big operations" like this (for example this concerning one of the Might Servants) were related to ships that sunk without turning to side...

And mostly concerned cargo ships, where compartmentisation and internal division facilitated using the hull itself to take part in righting of the vessel to some extend...


Cruise ship is basically fully watertight (from the stability and buoyancy point of view) from keel to main deck (which is usually gangway deck - thus relatively low comparing to the whole structure).

You can see the difference between the (water) draft and airdraft of the vessel.
For the sake of stability - everything above the watertight hull must be much lighter (thus much more delicate) - how to attach possible salvage ropes at higher part of the superstructure to use a lever advantage for raising such a large and heavy structure from its side...  (is it possible from ship structure strength point of view at all ?)


I think in all cases of LARGE ships with HIGH superstructures (like that car carrier that capsised near the shores of Japan - if I remember well) these ships have not been salvaged for repairs and operation...


What do you think about the chances for Costa Concordia ?...



« Last Edit: January 17, 2012, 01:14:49 PM by polsteam »
despite using "polsteam" for my nick I have NO personal (professional) or business connections with the company of the same name

Offline Fergal Clohessy

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Re: Costa Concordia - wreck removal or salvage for repairs and relaunch ?...
« Reply #1 on: January 17, 2012, 11:13:20 AM »
cleary a simple typo, I am sure Polsteam means Costa Concordia

Offline Bart Hakze

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Re: Costa Concordia - wreck removal or salvage for repairs and relaunch ?...
« Reply #2 on: January 17, 2012, 12:22:52 PM »
I'm not an expert but I have been thinking about it as well....it's going to be a difficult situation, all these openings in the superstructure above the waterline, light (so very "fragile") superstructure, the damage done to stb-side where the ship is resting one & apparently the ship isn't laying stable yet.
Then indeed the explosives being used.

My guess it's going to be a wreck removal on the spot, just chop it up & clear it away.

But it's going to be very interesting to see what happens but it's not going to be a quick operation.

BUt we can follow what's going on via this webcam (as long as it keeps working) : http://www.giglionews.it/2010022440919/webcam/isola-del-giglio/webcam-giglio-porto-panoramica.html
aka SeaBart

Offline Tuomas Romu

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Re: Costa Concordia - wreck removal or salvage for repairs and relaunch ?...
« Reply #3 on: January 17, 2012, 12:40:05 PM »
I think they'll at least attempt to salvage the vessel. It's a lot more expensive than a simple cargo ship.

Once the ship is upright, temporary steel covers can be welded on any opening (windows, structural damage due to grounding). After that pumping the ship "dry enough" shouldn't be an issue - there will always be leaks, but nothing a couple of big pumps couldn't handle. I think that's what they did with the Sally Albatross after it ran aground and was driven to shallow water to prevent it from sinking. With the Costa Concordia it might also be possible to divide the ship again into watertight compartments and empty them one by one. Emptying all tanks (fuel, water, beer etc.) will also help - most of them should still be watertight. However, the danger of implosion should also be taken into account when emptying the ship - the shell is not designed to withstand the water pressure at that depth.

As for the rightening, here's an interesting article regarding the future of the Costa Concordia with some sketches about the possible salvage operation:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-16573312

Local strength is definitely a problem, so they will have to use a large number of cables/chains and jacks to prevent them from ripping the ship apart when pulling it upright.

As for the rescue workers using explosives, I don't think they'll compromise the longitudinal strength of the hull with such local damage.

Offline Mats

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Re: Costa Concordia - wreck removal or salvage for repairs and relaunch ?...
« Reply #4 on: January 17, 2012, 01:05:37 PM »
My two cents: I think she's a CTL. There are too many openings in her superstructure. Further, they cannot simply patch her and pump out the water like "Sally Albatross", because she's on her side. Also, they cannot right her before patching like they did on the "Herald of Free Enterprise", because there's nowhere to put the piles for the pullers. The water depth  outside the vessel is apparently about 100 meters. Even if they could pull her right, she would not be on flat seabottom like the Herald was, and it would be extremely difficult to keep her upright while patching her before pumping her dry.
« Last Edit: January 17, 2012, 01:30:14 PM by Mats »

Offline polsteam

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Re: Costa Concordia - wreck removal or salvage for repairs and relaunch ?...
« Reply #5 on: January 17, 2012, 01:15:33 PM »
cleary a simple typo, I am sure Polsteam means Costa Concordia


I am sorry, obviously I meant Concordia...

despite using "polsteam" for my nick I have NO personal (professional) or business connections with the company of the same name

Offline peterredd

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Re: Costa Concordia - wreck removal or salvage for repairs and relaunch ?...
« Reply #6 on: January 17, 2012, 01:44:24 PM »
My thoughts are they will cut the ship up where it lays and move it away..Explosives being used, many holes in the super structure.. I think the company will write the ship off, as a tow and repair although not impossible will add up to be to bigger task...



Cheers
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Offline Derell Licht

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Re: Costa Concordia - wreck removal or salvage for repairs and relaunch ?...
« Reply #7 on: January 17, 2012, 04:27:43 PM »
One thing I note about this topic, though, is Concordia's statement that they recently predicted that this event will cost them up to $95 million.  The ship cost them over 400 million Euros to build in 2006.  Also, their initial comments were that C. Condordia would be out of service the rest of this fiscal year, and possibly part of next year.  Both of these sound as though their initial hope is to recover the vessel.  Of course, their opinions may change as time moves along!!  This looks like a "fun" challenge in any case.
Not all those who wander are lost...

Offline Michael Brinkmann

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Re: Costa Concordia - wreck removal or salvage for repairs and relaunch ?...
« Reply #8 on: January 17, 2012, 04:29:55 PM »
Well, not so many passenger ships were brought back to life. Btw, it is impossible even for an expert to identify the origins of the "Sally Albatross" (now "Cristal") as a former Viking Line ferry, since they've just used the hull with engines.
At the other hand, who want's to board a former stranded and capsized ship? I can imagine, that even the sister and near sister ships will have problems after this tragedy. As mentioned before, perhaps Costa will change the whole appearance like livery, paintings, logo etc. or they get absorped by the mother company - and again fully new re-equipped.

Otherwise you may read the headlines in the newspapers: "Death ship moored in Dover..."(or anywhere else)

Michael

Offline Tuomas Romu

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Re: Costa Concordia - wreck removal or salvage for repairs and relaunch ?...
« Reply #9 on: January 17, 2012, 06:29:13 PM »
Well, not so many passenger ships were brought back to life. Btw, it is impossible even for an expert to identify the origins of the "Sally Albatross" (now "Cristal") as a former Viking Line ferry, since they've just used the hull with engines.

I referred to the sinking several years later, not the fire.

As for "death ship", has anyone been sailing on the former Stockholm... ;)

Offline Ship's Cat

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Re: Costa Concordia - wreck removal or salvage for repairs and relaunch ?...
« Reply #10 on: January 17, 2012, 08:59:59 PM »
I'd be surprised if she is repaired. I would think she'd be a write-off, due to the damage sustained by the grounding, lying on her side on rocks (what other, yet unseen, damage is on the starboard side?) and then the water damage to the engines, electrics and fixtures and fittings.

It does seem if Costa/Carnival are hopeful she can be restored to service but I guess that would depend on salvagers managing to get her off the rocks and afloat again in one piece and then on what shipyard quotes would be for repairs.

Offline Michael Brinkmann

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Re: Costa Concordia - wreck removal or salvage for repairs and relaunch ?...
« Reply #11 on: January 17, 2012, 09:07:03 PM »
As for "death ship", has anyone been sailing on the former Stockholm... ;)
Well, she has been the lucky one of two ships! ;)

Offline kyle pesely

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Re: Costa Concordia - wreck removal or salvage for repairs and relaunch ?...
« Reply #12 on: January 17, 2012, 09:25:21 PM »
im surprised no one has brought up the salvage of the Normandie by the US Navy in 1942/43.
a huge undertaking whereby thousands off little windows and holes had to be plugged with steel and concrete.

so its definetly possible.

but the salvage of the Normandie took 19 months, and was conducted in the calm waters between Pier 88/90 in New York.

and since the Navy was using her salvage as a training exercise for its divers, cost wasnt really an issue.
not to mention they cut and removed the entire superstructure, and she was considered uneconomical to rebuild, so she was scrapped.

but it is possible. and if it proves to be economical, i cant imagine it will be by a large margin.


edit: after i hit post i realized i should probably acknowledge the fact that the Normandie had no structural damage below the waterline, and tipped due to water poured on her upper decks, unlike the Concordia's gaping hole. but its still feasible.
« Last Edit: January 17, 2012, 09:30:39 PM by kyle pesely »

BobS

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Re: Costa Concordia - wreck removal or salvage for repairs and relaunch ?...
« Reply #13 on: January 18, 2012, 12:52:32 AM »
If that gash on the port side is the total damage to the hull's integrity, refloating might well be possible. If there are other holes on the starboard side, then it is a completely different situation. In the meantime it is quite futile for us on this site who (like me ) have no access to the REAL facts (apart from what we read in the papers/see on TV) to pontificate with any authority on the situation.

Offline Derell Licht

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Re: Costa Concordia - wreck removal or salvage for repairs and relaunch ?...
« Reply #14 on: January 18, 2012, 04:03:35 AM »
Aye, we don't actually know what's going to happen, but it's an interesting exercise to ponder and discuss options, and compare them eventually with what actually happens...

and speaking of damage to the unseen side, BBC quoted a Smit representative:
"Smit believes it [ the ship ] is unlikely to move.

"Based on the first underwater pictures, there are quite a number of [hull] penetrations on the starboard side," operations manager Kees van Essen told reporters.

"They are acting as an anchor; so although we never underestimate the danger, the chance of the vessel sliding down into deeper water is minimal." "

While the salvor considers this a good thing, anyone thinking of restoring her may be nervous...
Not all those who wander are lost...

 

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